Dextrogyratory

/ˌdɛkstroʊˈdʒaɪrətɔːri/ adjective

Definition

Rotating or turning to the right, especially describing substances that rotate polarized light clockwise.

Etymology

From dextro- 'right' and gyratory 'rotating,' combining Latin and Greek roots. Standard term in chemistry since the 1800s for describing optical rotation direction.

Kelly Says

A substance can be dextrogyratory even if you can't see it rotating—you need special equipment (a polarimeter) to detect how it spins light, which is how chemists sort out identical-looking molecules!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.